NC State’s Next Options Following Boswell Decision

RALEIGH — NC State is working hard to put together a roster for the 2026-27 season, especially after landing All-WCC guard Christian Hammond out of the transfer portal to kick things off. First-year head coach Justin Gainey tried to bring one of his players over from Tennessee in Bishop Boswell, but the Pack missed out on the guard, who chose Maryland instead.

Now, Gainey and his staff must pivot to some other options in the transfer portal as other teams continue to surge in the first week of the process. NC State will likely look into the mid-major pool of players with so many top 50 transfers already being off the board, as well as the skyrocketing prices of high-major transfers.

Colby Garland - G, San Jose State

NC State needs a lead guard badly for what Gainey wants to do on both ends of the floor. Colby Garland started his career at Drake, playing for current Indiana head coach Darian DeVries, ultimately making stops and Longwood and most recently, San Jose State. He's seen a lot of different kinds of basketball during his three collegiate seasons thus far, finally breaking out in his junior year with the Spartans.

Garland averaged 20.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists in the 2025-26 season, shooting 37.2% from 3-point range. As the primary offensive option for San Jose State, he had the ball in his hands a lot and made the right reads consistently as the bus driver. He would be an under-the-radar add, but other teams are taking notice, such as Creighton. Garland reportedly met with NC State via Zoom on Wednesday.

Anton Bonke - C, Charlotte

Gainey has yet to address the frontcourt in the transfer portal. Given his desire to play with more toughness and positional size, finding a traditional center feels like a critical need for the Wolfpack as it continues to shop in the transfer portal. The problem? Centers are flying off the shelves at very high prices, some so high that it's almost bound to end in disappointment. Still, the Pack needs one.

Anton Bonke, a 7-foot-2 junior who spent last season with Charlotte, could be the next player NC State pursues aggressively. Bonke averaged 10.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, all while shooting 57.6% from the field. According to ESPN's Jeff Borzello, the big man is set to visit NC State on Thursday, assuming he doesn't commit to one of his stops before then.

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